Notes/Thoughts from Oprah Education Show -9/20/10

I was away on vacation when this show aired, but I had my boyfriend set the DVR when I saw the commercial for it. I do hope that EVERYONE watches this show or documentary: Waiting for Superman as it describes the failing US educational system. I've decided to take some notes and jot down some thoughts as I watch.

1. I haven't seen the documentary yet, but it is starting to sound like Jonathan Kozol's Savage Inequalities book from 1991. And here we are still seeing the same inequalities in public education 20 years later? Why do we accept this? Why do we educators continue to allow our students to be mediocre? Parents, why do you not demand better of your child's teachers' and schools? Why is spending hours and tons of money on sports and various travel teams more important than spending the hours and effort on attending school board meetings, PTA, parent night, open house, local council meetings? Those parents that are capable to send their children to private schools, doesn't it bother you that you pay taxes for FREE education in your own community, but because the school isn't performing you now have to pay more money for tuition and transportation in order for your child to receive a good education?

2. Bill Gates: take what the good teachers do well and those teachers that want to learn to do what the good teachers do and place those in an accountable system for performance, and longer school days is what will help the US school system succeed.

3. Teacher Evaluation is almost non-existent. Inappropriate teacher mentality: "I get paid whether you learn or not." After two years, teachers receive tenure and they have a job for life.

4. Charter schools started in the 1990s. They are allowed to operate outside of the rules. Not ALL charter schools work.

5. More than 2,000 Drop Out factories: Where more than 40% do not graduate. That equals 1,200,000 kids leaving our schools without a diploma. If this continues, we will not be able to compete in a global economy. So for those of you reading this and you don't have children, or your children aren't in school anymore...THIS STILL MATTERS!! Other countries are getting better and we are getting worse. US children rank 25 in Math and 21 in Science of other industrialized countries.

6. Michele Rhee, Chancellor of DC Schools. Why does our NATION'S CAPITAL have the worse schools? Fired of 1,000 teachers and principals for not doing there job. "The children are not the problem, the adults are the problem. We are the problem." "It is so DIFFICULT TO FIRE AN INEFFECTIVE TEACHER." Why is this the case?

7. GOOD teachers should not watch this show or documentary and feel attacked, they should watch it and expect the POOR (ineffective) teachers to step up their game. Is the union really helping already good teachers?

8. Oprah brought some educators to the show who work at schools that perform well. It appears that most of these schools are charter schools. She just gave each of them 1 million dollars to allow more students into their schools. Will this money really be used for tuition for more kids that can't afford or get a good education? Wouldn't this money $15-20 million dollars be better spent trying to develop a better evaluation system for teachers and administrators? Instead, this money will most likely line the pockets of the CEOs who opened the charter schools. Why not put this money into public schools to help those that are already behind?